Presence

Chapter Four

I heard the front door burst open and it interrupted me from my book. Someone had just died and Lennie had been accused. I was dying to know what would happen, but Side had interrupted my enjoyment.

"G!" He called and I heard him tromp upstairs. He entered the room and I closed my book.

"G, what the hell happened today? I'm not leaving here until you tell me." Side settled himself in my desk chair, criss-cross as usual. I filled him in on what happened. I excluded the part about Shadow calling me adorable because I didn't want to get Side's hopes up about anything. He knew I was gay and he really wanted me to get with somebody.

Just as I was finishing my tale, the phone began to ring. Suddenly, a fear overtook me. Fear that Shadow had only called to tell me that he didn't want to be around me.

"You should answer it G. You really should," Side said. And as if he had read my thoughts added, "Don't be scared. He won't reject you."

"Hello?" I asked into the phone.

"G?" came the reply. I recognized Shadow's voice immediately.

"Yeah. Can I talk to you?" I asked tentatively.

There was a moment's pause before the line went dead. I pulled the phone away from my ear and put it down slowly. I could feel my eyes begin to sting with tears.

"What happened?" Side asked, concern in his voice.

"He rejected me Side," I said flatly, trying to keep my emotions in check. Side stood and wound his arms tightly around me. He stroked my hair comfortingly and I allowed my tears to fall and slightly wet his shoulder.

"I'm sorry G. I know he meant more to you."

"H-how'd you know?" I asked and wiped my face with the back of my hand.

"I'm your best friend. Of course I'm going to notice when you have a crush."

He handed me a tissue just as the doorbell rang. Side gave me a confused look before asking, "are you expecting anyone?"

I shook my head and blew my nose quietly. "Guess I'd better go see who it is. Probably someone selling something."

As I left the room, I tossed my tissue at the trash can. It missed by half a foot. I didn't bother retrieve it.

I opened the door slowly and found the back of a brown haired head on the other side. The boy turned and my mouth dropped open.

"Shadow?" I asked.

"Hey G. Can I come in?" He questioned casually; like this were a normal occurrence. Instead of waiting for me to reply, he placed a perfect hand on the door inches from mine and pushed it open more.

My heart pounded as his fingers brushed mine as he walked past.

"Nice house," he commented as I shut the door and followed him to the living room.

"Thanks?" I answered with uncertainty of how to answer. How was I supposed to act when someone I barely knew had just invited himself into my house? I noticed a flicker of movement from my hallway and saw Side's head poke around the doorframe. He noticed Shadow and then gave me a knowing look and thumbs up before presumably going back to my room. I rolled my eyes and then returned my attention to Shadow, who had settled himself comfortably on the sofa.

"So you wanted to talk?" He asked me finally as I perched myself on the edge of a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table from Shadow.

"Um, yeah. First though, why did you hang up on me then just show up here?" I asked.

"Well my original reaction to your friend giving me your number was to leave you high and dry. But after I hung up on you, I felt terrible. You have to understand that you're not the first guy I've had to deal with. I'm used to having to reject people. But you were different for some reason." He paused for what felt like an eternity. I felt as though his eyes were burning a hole through me. "I can't reject you G."

I coughed as I choked on my own saliva unattractively, like normal.

"You okay?" Shadow asked. "Want me to get you some water?" He stood and made for the kitchen.

"No. I'm okay." Shadow returned to the couch, but sat on the end closer to my chair.

"It's your turn to speak now. I answered your question. Now you get to tell me why you needed to talk."

I took a deep breath to compose myself. " I wanted to apologize for the way I acted today. I overreacted. I know that you were just trying to help. It's just hard to accept it because no one's ever really been nice to me, other than Side of course. God that sounded pitiful. I'm sorry. I just," I breathed in and out once again. "I like you Shadow and I wanna be your friend and I don't want to screw that up."

I said the last part in a rush and held my breath as I waited for his reply.

"Well if you only want to be friends, I think I can settle for that." Shadow answered with a smirk on his face.

A smile lifted my face. "I suppose that could do as well. If you want to be more than friends."

Shadow had scooted all the way to the edge of the couch so that our faces were inches apart. My eyes searched his, attempting to figure out what he was thinking.

He didn't give me the time.

He quickly closed the gap between us and his soft lips were on mine. I expected the kiss to be rough like his personality, but I was pleasantly surprised by the gentleness that he exuded.

His hand found its way to the base of my hair and he deepened the kiss. I obeyed everything he silently asked, allowing his tongue entrance when it pressed softly against my lips.

We finally separated when we were dying for air. His hand dropped to mine and he laced his fingers into my own. I traced my free index finger along a light scar that crossed his cheek.

"What's this?" I asked him.

"Maybe someday I'll tell you."